If things hold as they are now, the Lakers could end up playing 85 games before a single playoff series this year.
Over recent seasons, the NBA has added multiple new things to its schedule, whether to drum up more interest in the league or to prevent tanking. The play-in games came first and were wildly successful from the onset.
This year, the inaugural In-Season Tournament (IST) faced a lot more uncertainty and scrutiny with its implementation. However, fans needed only a few games to quickly come around to the idea of it.
Being such great stewards of the league, the Lakers are a big part of the young legacies of these two events. Barring something unforeseen, this season will make the third time in four years the Lakers will take part in the play-in game.
And with the IST this year, no played more for the prize money harder than the Lakers this season. They capped off an unbeaten run with a pair of big victories in Las Vegas to capture the trophy, beating the Pacers in the finals after embarrassing the Pelicans two nights earlier.
Unfortunately, there is a downside to being such great ambassadors for the NBA this year. Currently in the ninth seed, as things stand today, the Lakers could be in store for an 85-game regular season....kind of.
Officially, the In-Season Tournament game exists in its own realm, not part of the regular season but not considered any sort of playoff game. Similarly, the play-in game is not part of the regular season nor is it considered a playoff game.
It’s also not a guarantee that the Lakers play two play-in games this season. Currently, the team is in the ninth seed and would need to win their first game at home before playing a second on the road.
So, while the Lakers' record may not reflect 85 (potential) games, fans will have watched this team play 85 times this season before taking part in any playoff game, should they feature in both play-in games.
Interestingly, a whole host of players have played in more than 82 games before. Walt Bellamy holds the record for most games in a season, having played 88 games in the 1968-69 season after being traded in the middle of it. Ten players have played at least 85 games in a season, the most recent of those coming in 2003-04 when both Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Theo Ratliff did it.
This season, Austin Reaves has yet to miss a game. That was tested in the IST championship game when he had his own Michael Jordan Flu Game. Barring an injury — I’m knocking on all the wood around me right now — he would be in line to play all 85 games this year, too.
Again, Reaves wouldn’t join that list because these aren’t regular season games, but he still played in 85 games before the playoffs.
Even 84 games, which they’re almost locked into at this point, would be quite the accomplishment. Only ten other players — twenty in total — have played at least 84 games in a regular season, not including the play-in.
I keep referencing the number of players who have played in that many games because there is no precedent for a team doing it. No team has ever played more than 84 games in a season, which some play-in teams have. An 85th game would be entirely unprecedented.
So, I guess, even if the Lakers have been really frustrating at times this year and have virtually locked themselves into the 9-10 play-in game, at least they might make history because of it?
You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude.
